Normally all ships try to avoid storms at sea because of the damage they inflict. An excellent example is Typhoon Cobra in the Philippine sea of 1944. The 3rd fleet under Admiral Halsey was trying to re-fuel when they ran into the center of the storm. Most of the Small Destroyers where low on fuel and trying to get some gas from the larger ships but, due to the sea state and wind they couldn't get enough or any at all.

As a result, three ship capsized and sank with a loss of almost the entire crew, water poured in some shorting out electrical power which caused the ships to be caught in the trough of the waves and rolled over. Smoke stacks were ripped off, planes on Carriers blown over the side and bombs rolling across the deck.

When going out to sea (at least in the Navy), you must secure for sea. This means you tie, chain or strap down securely any and all things that could move or come loose in a heavy sea way. Water is a very powerful force weighing around almost 9lbs per sq. foot when it hits something that is alot of force applied. I have seen it rip steel catwalks of the side of a ship like paper and when it's really stormy it sounds as if something is trying to get inside the ship as it bangs and crashes and the wind? You haven't heard wind scream until you have been in a hurricane at sea. The rain is blown sideways and will literally sandblast your skin.